Chapter 12

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 12: The Inexplicable (4)

It was still a bright time with the sun shining in the sky, even though it couldn’t be seen due to the clouds.

It wasn’t even evening yet.

What concert could she possibly be going to?

I just couldn’t understand.

“So, what concert are we going to in the middle of the day?”

…Wait a moment.

I suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

A chilling premonition crept over me from my toes.

“Concerts are usually in the evenings, right? Isn’t that so?”

“….”

Why isn’t she answering?

Oh, heavens above.

Is it really true that I have to be dragged around with her until evening?

“….Okay, just wait a moment.”

“Why? If you’re stalling, I’ll drag you out forcibly.”

“No, it’s just that if we’re going to be out for a while, I need to get ready too.”

It’s important to me.

Fine, just lightly.

First, a gun and a backup calorie bar, and then–

“Are we going to war or something?”

“No, it’s just basic preparation for going out.”

“Don’t mess around, just come with me. Oh, I’ll allow the mask at least.”

…Well, if I don’t wear a mask, I don’t go out anyway.

In the end, I was dragged outside without having prepared to go out.

What if we encounter terrorists again like last time while empty-handed?

…

Upon further thought, that might be okay.

After all, I’m with Catherine.

What is there to be afraid of?

She easily neutralized (killed) ten armed orc terrorists in a matter of seconds.

The terrorists would not be harmed even if they had met Koozaka’s ninja unit.

I followed Catherine from behind.

Since I’m in this situation anyway, there’s no way for me to escape from Catherine.

I followed her gloomily, feeling like a condemned prisoner being led to the gallows.

And then.

“Where are we?”

“Just be quiet and come in for a moment.”

After a few hours of following her from behind.

As the sun began to set, I finished my new hair styling and changed into a finely tailored suit along with Catherine.

Wow.

I briefly admired myself.

“If you had this kind of credit, you should’ve just given it to me.”

Without realizing it, my inner thoughts spilled out.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing, ma’am.”

“Don’t ma’am me.”

Catherine’s expression strangely brightened as if she were satisfied.

Feeling this strange current, I continued to follow her from behind.

Although we said we were going to a concert.

Instead of a concert, it seemed like we were just meeting stylists until evening.

“But why did you suddenly suggest going to a concert?”

I felt the atmosphere loosen slightly.

I seized the opportunity and asked her the question I was curious about.

“…Andrea wants you to come see her performance once.”

“Ah.”

Well, besides that, there wasn’t any reason to go to a concert.

I nodded and added.

“Dreck told me that the other day too. He asked me to go see his face with you.”

“I’ve heard it a few times too. But when I said that a certain someone has been stuck at home and wouldn’t come out, he couldn’t say anything.”

“…Hmm.”

It was a fact that hit home, so it hurt.

…But still.

How can staying at home be more fun?

Catherine shook her head and continued the conversation.

“Anyway, we’ll go see Dreck next time, so today let’s go to Andrea’s concert.”

“Where is she holding her concert?”

“Where else would she do it?”

Ah.

Actually, there was no need to ask, the answer was obvious.

Royal Vegas.

It’s almost the only area in the upper class Platinum Zone where citizens of all classes can freely come and go.

Some say it’s like the heart of Neon City.

The characteristics and differences from other areas were clear.

Usually, the canopies covering the ceilings of cities were transparent, reflecting the appearance of the sky as it was.

But only here, the canopies always depicted the shape of the night sky.

A deep blue light elegantly covered the sky.

It gave off a dark and subtle atmosphere at any time.

In a word, it was perfect for time to fly by.

Perhaps that’s why there were many casinos and luxury hotels.

As a result, there were plenty of people visiting here for gambling or tourism.

And lastly.

It was famous for having the largest performance dome in Neon City.

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Without realizing it, a sigh escaped my lips.

“…Haa.”

Why am I here?

“Aaaah!!”

“Take me, Oppa!!”

“I love you, Unnie!!”

I just wanted to go home.

Inside the Royal Vegas, in the performance dome.

On the stage, many singers, dance teams, or performers came and went, showcasing their talents.

《This stage features a very hot newcomer from the lower levels! With five vocal cords! Introducing the rising star of acapella!》

Oh, that’s quite impressive.

A man appeared on the stage above.

He started singing soon after.

Strangely, though, there was only one mouth singing, but five voices were heard.

I just couldn’t physically understand how that was possible. It’s really amazing. Maybe they have separate stereos attached to their bodies.

There really are all kinds of people in the world.

I checked the pamphlet I received when I came in again.

Even though I checked earlier, it turns out that Andrea, whom we are waiting for, is scheduled to perform last.

Still, as the most famous singer in Neon City, it could be considered fitting for her to perform last.

…So what now?

I already want to go home.

The fact that Andrea is scheduled to perform last means that ultimately, I also have to wait for the last performance.

The interior of the dome was filled with all sorts of people.

The heat was also unbearable.

Luckily, I was in the VIP section.

It wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be.

However, sitting in the VIP section, I felt the eyes staring at me openly from various places.

This part was a bit uncomfortable.

I wondered if Catherine styled me before coming to the concert to avoid such situations.

I secretly glanced at Catherine sitting next to me.

“….”

“What’s up?”

“It’s nothing.”

And then I fixed my gaze straight ahead.

…No.

Why is she looking at me instead of watching the performance she asked me to come see with her?

As soon as I turned my head, I met Catherine’s intense gaze.

I was extremely surprised, but fortunately, I managed to calmly turn my head without showing any signs of being startled.

The stares of others weren’t a bother.

This was the real pressure.

Catherine’s gaze felt several times more burdensome than those of others.

[Since the start of the performance, the human ‘Catherine’ has continued to watch the human ‘Lee Siwoon,’ I inform.]

…Thanks for letting me know.

When will the last performance start?

I prayed for time to pass quickly, even if it was just for an hour.

《We’ve waited long enough! A walking dream in Neon City! The shining solo singer! A living legend! The idol of all the young people!》

Oh, she’s finally coming out.

《Andrea Rose!!》

A woman walked out onto the stage from inside.

At first glance, she appeared to be covered in blood.

Her long red hair flowed down to her knees.

The pointed ‘ears’ sticking out from the sides of her long hair indicated that she was an ‘elf.’

She was still petite as ever.

I remembered how Dreck, a dwarf, used to make fun of her for being shorter than him.

By the way, Dreck is 2m tall due to implant surgery.

…Maybe he just wanted to tease her.

She hadn’t changed a bit, Andrea.

As she appeared on stage, I focused on the stage with my hand supporting my chin.

Andrea Rose.

A companion of the protagonist who also appears in the game.

She used to sing as a side job.

Now it seemed more appropriate to describe her as a singer as her main job and a mercenary as her side job.

She just became incredibly famous.

Among our companions, she was the most famous.

If I were to pick the most recognizable face among us, there was no doubt it was Andrea.

Catherine, Dreck, or I, we weren’t doing any other side jobs that could sell our faces.

We (me less so) were simply in the category of mercenaries known for our faces.

Andrea’s clear and pure voice resonated throughout the dome.

There was no need for a microphone.

Thanks to the high-performance voice amplification cyberware Dreck had developed, her voice sounded exactly as usual.

Her singing skills were undeniable.

Although it had been quite a while since I’d seen her perform, her skills were still top-notch.

It was genuinely enjoyable to listen to.

No matter how much I liked staying holed up at home,

I thought sometimes it wouldn’t be so bad to come out and enjoy a concert like this.

While enjoying the song, Andrea, who was standing on stage singing, made eye contact with me.

Was it a coincidence?

But considering that I was in the VIP section, it might not have been a coincidence.

After all, it was her who handed me the VIP seat tickets in the first place, saying to come and watch her perform together with Catherine.

Suddenly, Andrea smiled.

Although she had been smiling before, her smile felt a bit different now.

I suddenly felt a chill of anxiety.

As the accompaniment of the song started playing, she momentarily stopped singing.

Then, she blew a kiss into the air in my direction.

“Muah.”

The reaction of the people sitting in the VIP section around my seat intensified due to her fan service.

If she had only done fan service towards the VIP section, the atmosphere of the entire dome would have cooled down.

Then Andrea blew kisses into the air towards the direction of other spectators as well.

…Maybe it’s just my imagination.

It was probably just ordinary fan service.

It was clear that the reason I thought we had made eye contact early was because of my mood.

– Crack.

What’s this sound again?

I heard a sudden sound of something breaking.

I turned my head in the direction of the sound.

Coincidentally, it was the direction where Catherine was sitting.

Just a moment ago, Catherine, who had been looking only at me, was now gazing at the stage with an even more intense stare.

Biting down hard on her lip was the bonus.

The armrest of the chair Catherine was holding onto seemed to have already broken, unable to function properly.

…Ma’am, what’s wrong with you again?

Why are you being so scary?

I wished even more now that this time would pass quickly.

* * *

“Oh come on, I was just kidding, kidding! Can’t I even joke?”

Andrea said with a smile.

[Translator – Peptobismol]